Suspect shot dead after officer assaulted, weapon and van stolen: Manitoba RCMP

An 18-year-old man was shot and killed by RCMP after he assaulted an officer and stole his sidearm and vehicle about an hour northwest of Winnipeg.

Family confirmed to Global News the 18-year-old man’s name was Billy Saunders.

According to the Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba (IIU), at 8:25 p.m. Tuesday an RCMP officer was involved in a “physical altercation” with a suspect who was being transported from Ashern to Winnipeg. The assault happened on Highway 6 near St. Laurent.

During the assault, the officer fired his weapon before the suspect managed to get a hold of the gun and flee in the officer’s unmarked police van.

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RCMP then issued a public safety warning about an ‘armed and dangerous’ suspect just after midnight.

In a release Wednesday the IIU said the unmarked police vehicle was eventually spotted and a lengthy chase ensued.

The van came to a stop when it hit the ditch on Highway 417, near Lake Manitoba First Nation, about 100 kilometers from where the first altercation happened.

RCMP said the suspect was shot and killed during the course of the arrest.

According to the IIU, the assaulted officer is being treated for his injuries at the Selkirk Hospital. The IIU did not reveal the extent of his injuries.

While family could not confirm why Saunders was in police custody, his uncle did share some memories of him.

“He always had a smile on his face, he’d come here and play with the dogs just like an 18-year-old would,” Floyd Jones, Saunders’ uncle said. “He’s going to be missed big time.”